“I haven’t noticed any fevers—that’s the tell-tale sign, right?” Ethan rubs the back of his neck. “I mean, she’s been warm, sure, but that’s to be expected when doing…what we’ve been doing.”
“She ‘asn’t asked for a knot,” I add, and he frowns. “Wot?”
“Well, earlier, she wanted mine,” Ethan admits.
“Mine too,” Brennan tilts his head thoughtfully. “But that by itself isn’t what constitutesa heat spike.”
It’s then I notice that the cries of pleasure have died down, but then…the sound of a distressed-as-fuck omega whine breaks through.
An instinctual need to find my mate and protect her takes over.
Everything freezes for a split second, and then we’re dropping our bags, sprinting towards the bedroom.
Chapter 38
Wren
The sound I make isn’t human.
The whine that leaves my throat grates on evenmynerves, but my omega is completely distressed. After riding my alpha like a damn rodeo in his bed, I should have been on cloud nine, collapsed on the mattress in a ball of satisfaction.
But, nope.
My omega peeks her fussy little eyes open, and realizes that we’re now in the perfect nest, but only have one of our alpha’s scents.
And she doesnotlike that.
Maverick is standing at the edge of the bed, looking panicked as hell as I clutch his pillow to my chest. “Baby Girl, what—”
The bedroom door bursts open, and Teddy, Ethan, and Brennan come piling in, looking like they were expecting to find the room on fire.
With them, comes their scents.
My eyes flutter closed as I inhale deeply. Vetiver, blood orange, English tea, lime and bergamot mix with Maverick’s leather and lemongrass, and my omega calms down somewhat.
“Wot’s wrong, Dove?” Teddy asks, panic in his eyes.
“Little Bird?” Ethan’s fingers flex at his sides like he’s trying to keep himself from rushing me.
Brennan’s chest heaves as he looks around the room, scanning for a potential threat.
“Nest,” is all I can get out, and they all exchange a furtive glance. I swallow, moving on my hands and knees to crawl off the bed. I’m completely naked, which I would have expected to be self-conscious about, given this is the first time I’m completely bare in front of all of them at the same time.
I reach Teddy first, my fingers gripping the hem of his tank top and pulling with more force than necessary. “You want this for your nest?” he asks gently, and I nod. He bends over, letting me pull the shirt off him.
When I turn to Ethan and Brennan, their shirts are already in their hands, and they hold them out to me. I grab them greedily, hurrying back to the nest to start constructing the outside wall. It’s…it’s not enough.
Another whine starts to leave me, but Maverick seems to understand right away. “You guys still have your laundry from the cabin?”
Their eyes widen as they nod, and then they’re gone. I can’t focus on them though. My nest is incomplete. I grab the comforter, using it to reinforce the weak pile of shirts.
What am I doing? I’ve never made a nest before. I mean, I have, but with pillows and blankets. Where are my pillows and blankets?
“Hey, hey,” Maverick’s strong hands grip my face and turn me towards him, “Baby Girl, it’s alright. Can you tell me what you need?”
Anxiety swirls in my chest as tears sting my eyes. “My…my nest.”
His face lights up in understanding. “All your pillows and blankets? From the cabin?” Sniffing, I nod.
